Under the Blood Tree

by P.J. Grondin

Severe drought ravages the Southeast. There is no end in sight as residents of Central Georgia brace for more of the same; unbearably hot, dry weather.
The fears of four young men are realized when the shrinking water level of Cypress Lake exposes a dark secret, hidden under the lake’s surface for sixteen years. Long ago, when they were best friends, they made a pact to never speak of the secret to anyone. Now their livelihoods, their marriages and possibly their very lives, hinge on keeping a childhood promise. Will they be able to maintain their silence or will the pact be broken …Under the Blood Tree?

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2017

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I liked the character and world building, but while the descriptions were effective they went on a little bit too far. There were a couple minor inconsistencies but nothing that was too distracting. The story took a while for me to get into. I liked the whole picture once it was finally laid out, but it was a bit too slow for my taste. One summer night in August 1999 four young best friends stumble upon a sobbing girl and offer to help. She asks them to push the car into the lake and then do even after they find a dead body inside. They solemnly vow to never talk about it and this shatters this friendship. 15 years later when the car and remains are discovered the five children from that night now grown up with vastly different lies wonder what effects this discovery will have on them.

[Robin Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

*received from the author and voluntarily reviewed*

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. The prologue got off to a good start, with four boys racing through the woods to their "clubhouse", which was an old tree, and making a pact of silence sealed against the tree with their blood.

Chapter One picks up sixteen years later, and we are introduced to the men those boys have become, and their current lives. Two of the men are married with children, and living happy, successful lives. One is married to a very fragile wife. One is an alcoholic, in and out of jail. Incarcerated at the moment, and part of a chain gang cleaning up debris around a lake. A drought has shrunk the lake, turning up all sorts of items once covered by water, and finally revealing a car with a body inside. From there, we meet the police captain and a newspaper journalist who are both investigating the crime, and we slowly learn more about those four men and their connection to that car.

There isn't a lot of action, and there is quite a bit of description. Some inner musings from the characters as the four men nervously watch the news coverage of the investigation, worrying about their part in the events leading to that car ending up in the middle of the lake, worrying about each other and the pact they made, and who will be the first to break the pact, and whether their lives are about to be ruined. It's almost a character study. Almost, because despite all we learn about each man and his life, his thoughts and feelings, there isn't a lot of characterization. Two of the men and their wives were practically interchangeable for me, as I had trouble remembering which was which until quite a ways into the book. We learn a lot about the characters, without really getting to know them.

The writing is adequate, sometimes painting evocative and vivid pictures, such as the description of that tree in the prologue, the dried up lakebed, the condition and ambience of the various mobile homes some of the characters live in. The plot is a bit convoluted, but not necessarily in a bad way, as it kept me guessing until practically the very end. About who actually killed the man in the car, but also about the secrets being kept by the the residents of the mobile home park.

It took me a little longer to read this book than it should have, but that was probably due more to my life and my job getting busy, because despite my somewhat negative review, at no time did I consider setting the book aside or not finishing it. It kept me interested and entertained enough to stay til the end, and that's a good thing.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parts of Georgia are experiencing a severe drought which has caused the water level in the lake to drop exposing the roof of a car. When a body is found in the car four childhood friends relive a night from many years ago. What do they know? Were they involved? All the characters are great and written in detail. So many twists and turns as suspects are questioned and a secret pact is about to be broken. This a a very well written mystery that had me turning the pages. Definitely a hard to put down book! I am looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Blood Tree is a page turning read, with so many twists and turns, a map is needed to help figure out the mystery. The childhood friendship and the lengths those boys went to, to keep a vow is astounding. Just shows that some promises made as children have life- long effects. No one knew on that fateful night what turns their lives what take and the tool that vow would take on each of them. And the master mind behind it all is the person you would never guess. Do not start this book right before bed, you won't sleep wondering what happens next.

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. Initially it seems pretty straightforward but the farther in you get, it's anything but. The story follows multiple characters as each reveals another piece of the puzzle. It's a twisty, engaging, well plotted mystery.

The author uses lots of description and really paints a picture. It did get a bit too wordy in spots, especially at the beginning, but settled into a nice balance. I noticed a couple inconsistencies but nothing major. The story gets a little convoluted and confusing with all the connections started coming to light but it all gets laid out pretty well in the end, so stick with it. One character in particular I enjoyed reading about even if they turned out to be the guilty party. I'd be interested in reading more from this author.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixteen years ago four young boys made a decision that, afterwards, they made a pact to never speak about what they saw and did. Sixteen years ago they thought that their secret was safe and would never be discovered, but when a severe drought takes its toll on the area, leading to the water level of Cypress Lake to plummet, they soon discover that secrets can’t stay buried forever. With so much to lose, can these four men stay true to their childhood pact, or will the truth behind their secrets be brought to light?

Under The Blood Tree is a bit of a twisted story; it is a twisted set of events set into motion predominantly by one twisted individual. There were a couple of plot points that seemed to go unresolved, and a couple of slow points within the pages, but overall it was an enjoyable story. It kept me hooked; I wanted to uncover the truths behind the secret. I liked the characters and their development, but it was a little hard to keep track of the connections between them at times. The descriptive language is very effective and paints a complete picture of places, things, and people’s feelings. I’ll finish by saying that I love the double meaning of the title Under The Blood Tree.

If you enjoy a good mystery that is sure to surprise you again and again, I recommend Under The Blood Tree by PJ Grondin.

Thank you to PJ Grondin, PD House Books, and the Cozy Mystery Review Crew for gifting me a copy of Under The Blood Tree in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book that I've read by author P.J. Grondin but it won't be the last. From the beginning it is easy for the reader to become engrossed in the story. It doesn't seem like much of a mystery at first since so many of the details are laid out such who's body was found in the car how the car came to be in the lake. But, as the pages are turned, it is apparent that there is much more to the story. A twisted and almost jumbled family tree kept my interest while the twists and turns of the police investigation kept me guessing until the very end. The addition of a unrelenting reporter moved the story forward at a good pace that lead to a satisfying ending. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading "Under the Blood Tree", a suspense novel by P.J. Grondin. First, the characters were very well-written. All of the major characters had very clear, unique personalities, and it was easy to keep everyone straight. I enjoyed "meeting" them as children during the back story part of the book, them comparing those early impressions to the adults they became by the "present day" part of the story. It was interesting to see how each one matured, and was affected by the events of the past.

The mystery itself was also very well-plotted. There were a lot of intricate details that all fit together perfectly as new clues were uncovered and new evidence came to light. Everything made sense in the end. The main thing that I have to say is that I was so impressed and pleased with the level of detail and interconnected plot points throughout this novel. It was so INTRICATE...the author obviously devoted himself to making sure all the tiny elements worked together properly, and that not a detail was out of place. If you're expecting a good mystery/suspense story, you won't be disappointed. But this book is so much more....the detail, the many small connections, the intricacy....this book was a breath of fresh air!

I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention the detailed descriptions of the trailer park, the local area, and the lake. I felt like I could close my eyes and actually see what the characters were seeing. The weather plays a big role in the plot, and I appreciated seeing the effects that it had on the characters and town.

All in all, I can happily rate this book five out of five chunks of spicy Pepper-Jack cheese!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! I'm a huge mystery fan, and have read a lot of books in the genre. I have to say, this one really stood out. The mystery was very detailed...there was a lot going on and a lot of clues that went into unravelling the case. I liked the way the author had the police and a reporter working together and sharing information instead of constantly being at odds. I really appreciated the way the reader learned more about what had happened through the eyes of the detectives, the reporter, and the people most closely involved in the case. It was interesting to see the situation through different eyes.

In the end, when all was revealed, it was logical. All of the clues gathered throughout the story came together, and I was left feeling satisfied that no stone had been left unturned.

The characters were interesting too. There were a lot of them and (except for two main characters' wives, who seemed fairly interchangeable) each of them was unique enough that I had no trouble keeping them all straight. Some of the family relationships were complicated (by the author's design), but I enjoyed the challenge of keeping it all straight in my head as I read. I like it when a book actually expects me to THINK while I'm reading it!

Easily a 5-star mystery.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four young boys meet under a certain tree in
the woods near Cypress Lake.
One night in August 1990, they are at the tree
when they here a girl sobbing
Going to investigate they discover a girl trying
to push a car into the Cypress Lake. They
decide to help her even after they discover a
dead man inside the car.
After they help the girl push the car into the
Lake, they return to the tree. There they take
a blood oath on the tree to never talk about
what they happened that night.
Sixteen years go by, two of the boys married
with children, another one married to the once
sobbing girl and the fourth single with a heavy
drinking problem. Their oath has remained in
effect throughout the years.
Then a drought occurs in the Southeast and
Lake Cypress dries up…..revealing the car and
what was inside. The Sheriff makes this case
a priority.
The storyline was unique. The characters were
realistic with involved, well defined personalities
with interesting backstories. It was easy for me to
step right into their lives and their stories.
I felt the description throughout the story was so
vivid putting me right there in the areas around
the lake and trailer park.
I enjoyed this thought provoking read.
I volunteered to read Under the Blood Tree. Thank
to PJ Grondin, PD House Books, and the Cozy
Mystery Review Crew for the opportunity.
My opinion is voluntary and my own.

[Pete Grondin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, this is one of my eight novels.